More than 60,000 people applied to join the fight against Covid-19 through nursing, according to UCAS figures for applications to colleges and universities.
Total applications for nursing courses, submitted between summer 2020 and the end of January 2021, rose by nearly a third compared to last January’s deadline. The “surge” in interest for nursing courses starting this autumn was from people of all ages.
The “tireless and outstanding commitment” of nurses during the pandemic had been the “best possible advert for the nursing profession,” said Professor Mark Radford, chief nurse at Health Education England.
“To see applications rise for the third year running, and by such an extraordinary leap, is really wonderful news,” he added.
There were a record 16,560 applications from 18-year-old school leavers, 27 per cent more than last year.
And for the first time ever, more than 10,000 students aged over 35 applied to study nursing, with a 39 per cent rise on last year taking total applications from that group to 10,770.